Philodendron plant named ‘Pastel Sport #2’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Philodendron  plant named ‘Pastel Sport #2’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; dark burgundy-colored stems; glossy leaves that are initially yellow orange with pink-colored venation; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Philodendron hybrid cultivar Pastel Sport #2.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Philodendron plant, botanically known as Philodendron hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pastel Sport #2’.

The new Philodendron is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Philodendron hybrid cultivar Prince of Orange, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,797. The new Philodendron was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla., as a single plant within a group of plants of ‘Prince of Orange’ during the fall of 2002. The selection of this plant was based on its uniquely-colored leaves.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by stem cuttings and tissue culture in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla., since the spring of 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Philodendron plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Philodendron has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the cultivar Pastel Sport #2. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pastel Sport #2’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Dark burgundy-colored stems.     -   3. Glossy leaves that are initially yelllow orange with         pink-colored venation.     -   4. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Philodendron are most similar to plants of the parent, the cultivar Prince of Orange. Plants of the new Philodendron differ primarily from plants of the cultivar Prince of Orange in developing leaf coloration as plants of the cultivar Prince of Orange have young leaves that are dark bronze in color. In addition, plants of the new Philodendron have lighter colored stems, petioles, leaf venation and cataphylls compared to plants of the cultivar Prince of Orange.

Plants of the new Philodendron can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Variegated Sport #1, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/949,946. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Apopka, Fla., plants of the new Philodendron differed from plants of the cultivar Variegated Sport #1 primarily in leaf coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Philodendron, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Philodendron.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of the cultivar Pastel Sport #2 grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of the parent, the cultivar Prince of Orange, grown in a container.

The photograph on the third sheet comprises a close-up view of the lower surfaces of a fully expanded leaf (left) and a developing leaf (right) of the cultivar Pastel Sport #2.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe eight-month old plants grown in 20-cm containers in Apopka, Fla., in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures of 21 to 32° C., night temperatures of 21 to 29° C., and light levels about 1,500 foot-candles.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Philodendron hybrid cultivar Pastel Sport     #2. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Philodendron     hybrid cultivar Prince of Orange, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     6,797. -   Propagation:     -   -   Method.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots on a meristem-cultured plant.—About             16 weeks at day temperatures of 32° C. and night             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to develop roots on a meristem-cultured plant.—About 20             weeks at day temperatures of 24° C. and night temperatures             of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Strong, thick and fleshy; roots whitish to             brown, towards the apex, pinkish red. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant shape.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit,             inverted triangle, symmetrical; rosette growth habit.         -   Growth habit.—Leaves closely spaced, bushy and dense growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 35 to 43 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 60 to 67 cm.         -   Stem description.—Length, from soil level to growing point:             About 8 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 to 3 cm. Internode length:             About 5 to 10 mm. Color: 187A with occasional streaks of             182A; leaf scars, 195A.         -   Foliage description.—Length: Largest leaves, about 32 to 36             cm; average leaves, about 30 cm. Width: Largest leaves,             about 18 cm; average leaves, about 16 cm. Thickness: About             0.8 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Hastate. Margin:             Entire. Aspect: Leaf blade held about 45° from vertical.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Leathery; glabrous;             glossy. Venation: Midvein straight and thick; midvein and             primary veins recessed into the upper surface and protruding             from the lower surface. Color, newly expanded leaves, upper             surface: Brighter and more orange than but closest to 163C;             midrib, 179C tinged with 34C; primary veins, 34C. Color,             newly expanded leaves, lower surface: 179C tinged with 163C;             midrib, 179A to 179B with occasional spots of 180A; primary             veins, 179B. Color, expanded leaves (center of plant), upper             surface: 151A; midrib, 151C tinged with 179C to 179D;             primary veins, 179D. Color, expanded leaves (center of             plant), lower surface: Lighter than but closest to 151A             suffused with 179B; midrib, 180B with occasional spots of             180A; primary veins, 180B. Color, mature leaves (lowermost             on plant), upper surface: Lighter and more green than but             closest to 137A; midrib and primary veins, more green than             but closest to 146D. Color, mature leaves (lowermost on             plant), lower surface: Darker than but closest to 144A;             midrib, 182B often streaked with 178B and 183A with             occasional spots of 180A; primary veins, more green than but             closest to 144D. Petioles: Length: About 13 cm. Diameter:             About 1.2 cm by 1 cm. Color, developing: 180A to 180B with             occasional spots and streaks of 187A. Color, fully             developed: Darker and green than but closest to 144A tinged             with 187B. Cataphylls: Length: About 20 cm. Width, at base:             About 5.5 cm. Shape: Triangular; keeled. Apex: Acutely             pointed. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner surface: 184D streaked with             187A. Color, outer surface: 187A to 187B streaked with 187A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Spathes and spadices arranged on             upright scapes.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last on the plant             for about three months. Inflorescences persistent.         -   Time to flower.—Flowering occurs during the winter in             Apopka, Fla.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 15 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Pointed. Base: Cordate to obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, inner surface: Smooth, waxy, shiny.             Texture, outer surface: Smooth, glossy. Color, inner and             outer surfaces: 178A to 178B streaked with 187A.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 12.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Columnar, stout. Cross section: Rounded. Color,             female flowers: 158B. Color, male flowers: 159D. Female             flower diameter: About 1 to 2 mm. Quantity of female flowers             per inflorescence: About 500.         -   Scape.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Color:             187B.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit deveopment on plants of the new             Philodendron has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial conditions, plants of the     new Philodendron have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens     or pests common to Philodendron. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Philodendron have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 0 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Philodendron plant named ‘Pastel Sport #2’, as illustrated and described. 